#1. Mexican Bean Salad

(Core Plan)

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can back eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup organic corn, frozen or canned
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons xylitol
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• ½ tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• pinch of cayenne powder

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl combine the first 7 ingredients.

2. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and blend well.

3. Pour the dressing over the beans and vegetables and mix well.  Chill the salad for several hours before serving.

#2. Waldorf Salad

(Core Plan)

Ingredients:

• 4 green apples, chopped with skins on
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2/3 cup seedless grapes, any colour
• 2/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup organic plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• stevia drops to taste

Instructions:

1. In a medium size bowl, coat the chopped apples with lemon juice.  Next, add the      grapes, celery and walnuts.

2. In a separate bowl, blend the yogurt with the vanilla and stevia.

3. Pour the yogurt dressing over the apple mixture.

Note:  For advanced plan, substitute the grapes for blueberries

#3. Indian Inspired Potato and Chickpea Salad

(Core Recipe)

Ingredients:

• ½ cauliflower, boiled and chopped into bite sized pieces  *
• 4 sweet potatoes, boiled and peeled and sliced  *
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can lentils, drained and rinsed
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3-4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 6 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, (grainy if available)
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 2/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

• For the vinaigrette, whisk together the vinegar and spices.  In a thin stream, gradually whisk in the oil.
• In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, lentils, green onion and celery, then toss with dressing.
• This recipe makes a generous amount of potato salad.  Use the remaining salad for lunches.
• The white potatoes can be substituted with cooked cauliflower if you wish to decrease your carb intake.

 

#4. Pad Thai Vegetable Noodle Salad 

(Advanced Diet)

Ingredients:

• 8 cups of spiralized or julienned vegetables to resemble “noodles” – use a combination spiralized daikon radishes, carrots, zucchini , beets and/or  thinly sliced: peppers, purple cabbage, nappa cabbage and/or enoki mushrooms .
• Dressing Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter or almond butter
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soya sauce
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon xylitol

Garnish:  chopped peanuts, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped fresh chai basil, red hot pepper seeds

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl combine the 8 cups of prepared vegetables.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing.  If it is too thick, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time.
3. Pour over the vegetables and blend.
4. When serving, add the garnishes.

Note:  This recipe works best with a spiralizer, but a julienne peeler will also work.

#5. Broccoli and Red Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped red cabbage (chop cabbage in small squares)
• 1 bunch broccoli, chopped into small bpieces
• zest of one orange
• 1/3 cup finely grated feta cheese
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup toasted and chopped walnuts

Dressing:

• Juice of one orange
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• pinch of cinnamon

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine the cabbage, broccoli, orange zest, feta cheese, and cranberries
2. Whisk together the orange juice, olive oil, mustard, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper, and cinnamon
3. Pour over the salad and blend well

 

#6. Grilled Vegetable Lentil Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/3 cup grape seed oil OR olive oil (If you used olive oil, make sure oven is not above 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grill at a low temperature).
• 3 Tbls. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. each ground cumin and ground coriander
• 2 each, zucchini and portobello mushrooms
• 1 each, sweet red and yello pepper
• 1 large eggplant
• 1/2 cup dried green lentils, (boiled, drained and cooled), or 1 can lentils
• 1 cup quinoa (add 2 cups water and simmer for about 20 minutes until water is absorbed)
• 1/2 cup crumbed feta cheese

Instructions:

1. Finely mince garlic and rub with salt to make a paste.  In a small bowl. combine garlic mixture with lemon juice, cumin and ground coriander.  Set aside.
2. Slice zucchini and eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Remove mushroom stems.  Seed and quarter peppers.  Brush vegetables with about 2 Tbls. of oil mixture.  Place on greased grill for about 10 minutes, turning often, until veggies are thoroughly roasted.  Cool and chop. (You can also roast in oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until veggies are cooked through and browned.
3. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, roasted vegetables, oil mixture, feta cheese and lentils.  Serve cold as a side dish or as a light lunch.

Note:  Quinoa can be substituted with brown rice or whole wheat couscous. If you prefer olive oil instead of grape seed oil, make sure the vegetables are roasted on low.

#7. Coconut Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked quinoa
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• large carrot, grated
• 1 red pepper finely diced
• 1 Tbls. Coconut oil
• 3 tsp. curry powder
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1 cup of cooked beans or chick peas or peas
• handful of shredded coconut (unsweetened)

Instructions:

1. In a large pan, sauté onion, carrot, and pepper in the coconut oil until slightly soft.
2. Add the curry powder, and blend with the vegetables.
3. Add the coconut milk, the beans and coconut.
4. Blend all ingredients together thoroughly, remove the pan from the stove.
5. Note:  The salad can be served warm or cold. Sprinkle with additional coconut if desired.

 

#8. Mango Chicken

Ingredients:

Mango Mixture:

• 2 mangos peeled and cut into thin strips
• 2 red peppers peeled and cut into thin strips
• ½ red onion-thinly sliced
• ½ cup of thai basil (or 1 teaspoon of dried basil)
• ½ cup mint (or 1 teaspoon of dried mint)
• 2 tablespoons xylitol
• 1 teaspoon of fish sauce
• A bowl of spinach or lettuce
• Chopped dry plain roasted peanuts.

Mango Salad Bedding:

Instructions:

1. Mix the mango ingredients and let sit in the fridge for several hours for the flavours to meld.
2. On a bed of spinach or lettuce, layer the mango mixture on top..
3. Top with chopped roasted peanuts.

(Note: For a dinner salad, top with grilled chicken slices)

The Worlds Best Barbeque Sauce

(arealfoodlover.wordpress.com)

Ingredients:

Makes 2 cups

• 1 Tbsp grass-fed butter or coconut oil
• 1 cup sweet onion, diced small
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dry mustard powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock (or beef or vegetable)
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2-1 tsp stevia powder (or sweetener of choice)

Instructions:

Heat butter/oil in sauce pan and sauté onion for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. You can serve it just like this, but I like to boil it down to thicken it a while. I turn down the heat, cover the pan and let it simmer for 20 minutes or so. I also find the longer cooking time melds the flavors, and it turns out even more delicious.

Flat Bread Sandwich Rounds

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour
• ½ cup tapioca starch
• ½ cup cassava flour *
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups coconut milk

Instructions:

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well, then add the coconut milk until well blended.
2. Heat a frying pan with a little coconut oil in it to prevent the breads from sticking.
3. Slowly drop a generous tablespoon of batter into the frying pan for each of the sandwich rounds, forming circles about the size of a hamburger bun.
4. Once the rounds look almost cooked, flip them over and allow the other side to finish cooking.

* I bought cassava flour at the A to Z African and Caribbean Grocery Store on 127 Water Street North, Kitchener

Paleo Sandwich Rounds or Hamburger Buns

(empoweredsustenance.com) grain free, gluten free, advanced plan

Ingredients:

•1/2 cup coconut flour

•1/2 cup flax meal

•3 medium carrots, peeled

•1/2 cup milk of choice (I used almond milk)

•4 eggs

•1 teaspoon Herbamare seasoning salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats
2. Put the carrots and the coconut in a food processor and blend until the mixture looks like orange crumbs. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
3. Divide the dough into about 14 – 16 rounds on the baking sheets. Flatten the rounds to about 1/4 inch thick, forming a circle to the size of a hamburger bun.
4. Bake for about 15 minutes until the tops are dry to the touch. Let them cool before handling.

*If you want to freeze the rounds, put wax or parchment paper between them.

Note: Instead all carrots, use 1 carrot, 1 small zucchini, 1/2 cup cauliflower florets, a handful of spinach

 

Caramelized Onions

Add to crock pot:

•Peel and slice 8 medium onions

•1/4 cup butter

•1 tsp. salt

•2 Tbls. balsamic vinegar

Cook in crock pot on low for about 8 hours